Prior art cloth-spreading machines are well known in the art and one typical example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,089 issued Mar. 1, 1988. Machines of the type shown in the above patent, as well as other machines, have been provided with switching means for slowing down a movable carriage assembly as it moves towards a first stop position and to subsequently stop or reverse the direction of movement of the carriage assembly as it attains the desired stop position. These mechanism have typically included trip mechanisms mounted upon the table assembly which supports, at least in part, the carriage assembly, and switch mechanisms which engage the trip mechanisms to initially slow down and subsequently to stop or reverse the direction of movement of the carriage assembly. Thus, in a typical installation, the carriage is provided with four mechanical switch mechanisms and the elongated table upon which the carriage assembly traverses is provided with right- and left-hand stop-trip mechanisms as well as right- and left-hand slowdown-trip mechanisms spaced inwardly of the stop-trip mechanisms. Typically, the above-described mechanisms will work in a satisfactory manner, but there are some inherent design disadvantages. Thus, if one of the stop-trip mechanisms should be removed, the carriage assembly will continue to operate in the initial direction long past the desired stop position as the associated switch will not be turned on. In addition, because mechanical switch mechanisms are employed, there is a tendency for these parts to wear out. Other disadvantages of this design are well known.
In the foregoing design, the trip mechanisms are typically iron rods or rails which are carried along the side of the table, which rails are suitably positioned to be engaged by the switch mechanisms. In order to avoid mechanical contact between the switch mechanisms and the trip mechanisms it has been proposed to utilize inductive-proximity switches, as for example in the Kuris spreading machine. This system still has the disadvantage in that if the switch means malfunctions, that is if it remains in the off position, the machine will not be slowed down or stopped when the appropriate rail has been reached. In addition, if the stop rail is missing, the carriage assembly will overshoot its stop position.